Interim Measures Alarm Fund (IMAF)
Complete Guide to Government Fire Safety Funding in 2026
The Interim Measures Alarm Fund (IMAF) is a package of funding designated for improving fire safety in eligible residential buildings in England. If you’re a building owner or manager, you could use the fund to obtain essential fire safety equipment for your premises.
Who can apply for IMAF funding?
The question is, who can apply for IMAF funding? And what steps can you take if you’re ineligible to request funds directly?
The Interim Measures Alarm Fund was set up to improve fire safety in residential buildings whose current fire safety systems require long-term and permanent remediation. It’s essentially a stop-gap fund, there to improve safety in residential buildings deemed at high risk from ongoing fire-safety defects.
Eligible IMAF funding applicants
The Government has made the IMAF initiative available to selected persons only. It’s hoped that this will streamline the process of designating funds and ensure that the money is apportioned fairly and efficiently to where it’s most needed.
There are four groups who can apply for IMAF funding directly, including…
- Building owners in the private and social sector
- Managing agents with authority to manage the building
- Responsible entities under fire safety legislation
- Authorised representatives acting on behalf of building owners
Who cannot apply directly
The IMAF is designated for building owners, managers, and responsible fire safety representatives only. Funds cannot, therefore, be made directly available to individual residents and leaseholders.
If you live in a building where permanent fire safety remediation is sorely needed, there are several things you can do to raise the issue of fire safety funding with responsible stakeholders and third parties. For example:
- Contact the key fire safety stakeholder for your building. This might be the freeholder, building owner, management company, Right to Manage company, housing association or your local authority.
- Ask if the building is currently subject to a waking watch. This is a tell-tale sign that there are ongoing issues with your building’s fire safety infrastructure; ask why it’s necessary and get information on the long-term remediation strategy.
- Request that key stakeholders apply for IMAF funding: If they haven’t done so already, you’re within your rights to pursue IMAF funding through your building owner, manager, or responsible party.
What the IMAF covers and funding scope
IMAF is designated as an interim fire safety improvement package, so it covers the deployment of critical fire safety equipment in residential buildings, specifically in communal areas.
Understand that the fund has been fast-tracked to cover essential fire safety improvements in the most at-risk buildings – it’s not simply a catch-all package that can be used by all commercial enterprises and building owners to fund general and ongoing fire safety improvements.
With that said, let’s take a closer look at what the IMAF covers, along with the scope of the funding you can expect.
Covered costs under the IMAF
Note, too, that any fire safety systems installed as part of the IMAF must comply with the BS 5839-1 Category L5 fire safety standard – providing optimal building safety while removing the need for continued waking watch protocols.
In official Government literature related to the IMAF, it implicitly states that the fund is designated for “reasonable upfront capital costs”. That includes:
- Fire alarm equipment, including detectors, control panels, wiring, sounders and associated components
- Labour costs for installation
- Commissioning, testing and certification of the system
- Associated installation works necessary to fit the alarm
Remember that these funds are ultimately there to plug the gap where critical fire safety equipment is lacking; they can’t, therefore, be used for:
- Ongoing waking watch costs
- Project management and administrative costs
- To facilitate fire wardens after new equipment has been installed
- Ongoing servicing and maintenance of fire safety equipment
- Permanent building remediation work – the replacement of unsafe cladding, for example
What’s not covered by the IMAF?
To understand how and where the IMAF can be used, it’s important to consider any processes and equipment not covered under the scheme.
Building-specific eligibility
While we’re on the topic of how and where the IMAF can be used, it’s worth touching on the scheme’s building-specific eligibility criteria.
Funding is only available to residential buildings in England, specifically those that can provide evidence of a recent fire risk assessment (FRA) showing that interim fire safety equipment is needed.
The IMAF is not available to commercial buildings, including hotels. However, care homes, student accommodation providers, and other commercial enterprises may be able to access funding if their primary purpose is housing residents, and there are clear omissions in their current fire safety setup.
IMAF application process:
Step-by-step guide
If you think you could be eligible to receive fire safety funding from the IMAF, there’s a four-step application process to contend with. We’ve pulled together a useful tutorial covering each stage of the process, along with the estimated timescales you can expect.
Stage 1: Eligibility assessment and documentation
The first step in the process is to triple-check your building’s eligibility for the IMAF, as well as to gather relevant documents and evidence that will support your application. That might include:
- Your most recent fire risk assessment, detailing that interim fire safety equipment is required
- Enforcement notice documentation
- Building owner and leaseholder engagement evidence
Estimated timescale: 1-2 weeks, depending on complexity or the need for a new FRA.
Stage 2: IMAF application submission
When you’ve gathered the required evidence, you can apply directly for fire safety funding via the IMAF hub on the Homes England website. Here, you’ll need to provide the following:
- Building name, Address and postcode
- Number of residential units
- Height of the building
- Company information
- Responsible person details
Estimated timescale: The application should take around 10-15 minutes to complete.
Stage 3: Quote approval and grant funding agreement
If your initial application is approved by Homes England, you’ll then be able to review quotes from approved-IMAF supplier panel contractors. This will ultimately dictate the size and scale of your grant, so any quotes will need to be approved by Homes England prior to the release of any funds.
Estimated timescale: According to official Homes England literature, this part of your application will typically take 10-20 days.
Stage 4: Installation and payment
Once your application has been fully approved and you’ve received funding, installation and remedial work can begin. Installation of new fire safety equipment will be carried out by a Homes England-approved contractor; you will be required to provide an installation update and completion date to Homes England once the work is finished.
Estimated timescale: 2-3 weeks after the final approval of IMAF allocation.
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Benefits of IMAF-funded fire alarm systems
Aside from the obvious monetary benefit, there are several benefits associated with the Interim Measures Alarm Fund that business owners and building managers should consider. Let’s take a closer look at some of the core attributes of the scheme.
Cost savings and financial benefits
Not only does the IMAF provide a direct capital injection with which to purchase new fire safety equipment, but it can also help you save in other areas. For instance, with new fire alarms in place, you’ll no longer need to foot the bill for waking watch and patrol personnel, which can prove surprisingly expensive and difficult to budget for over the long term.
Meanwhile, you’ll also find it much easier to plan for future remedial work and associated maintenance costs, with a core part of your fire safety improvement plan covered by the IMAF grant.
Safety and compliance improvements
With the removal of manual patrols and the deployment of automated systems, you get peace of mind that your building is fire safe and 100% compliant with current regulations.
This may, in turn, make your building a more attractive proposition for potential buyers, tenants, and other associated stakeholders, with traceable protocols to support your building’s safety case requirements.
Resident & building management benefits
The deployment of an interim alarm system is generally considered to be a non-invasive and hassle-free improvement to your building’s fire safety infrastructure. There should be minimal potential for disruption, with no need to cable through walls or carry out heavy-duty remedial work – helping to retain peak resident comfort, safety, and environmental wellbeing.
Meanwhile, building managers should find the new system considerably easier to control, manage, and oversee, with digital monitoring and compliance reporting replacing manual on-premises processes. There may even be a valuation and insurance benefit, freeing up funds for long-term remedial action.
IMAF supplier panel and approved contractors
The IMAF supplier panel is a list of approved contractors that Homes England has selected to provide quotes for fire safety improvements and upgrades.
You’ll only be able to select from pre-approved suppliers when using grant funding for fire safety upgrades, so it’s important to consider your options carefully.
Homes England has identified third-party contractors with a proven track record in delivery compliant fire safety equipment at various types of premises throughout England. The body works closely with these contractors, liaising with them on your behalf to discuss quotes, challenge costs, and approve additional work and funding requirements where applicable.
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FAQs – Interim Measures Alarm Fund
To help us assist you as quickly and effectively as possible, please take a moment to review our FAQs below by clicking on the area relevant to your business.
What is the Interim Measures Alarm Fund and who manages it?
The Interim Measures Alarm Fund (IMAF) is a fund set up by Homes England to cover fire alarm system installation costs in eligible residential buildings. It’s designed to cover 100% of the cost of the deployment of critical alarm systems, specifically in premises which have been deemed hazardous due to the presence of, say, non-compliant exterior cladding.
How much funding does IMAF provide for fire alarm installation?
Currently, the IMAF has £62.7 million set aside for fire alarm installations, and this is expected to rise to £75 million by March 2035.
Can leaseholders apply directly for IMAF funding?
No, leaseholders cannot apply directly for IMAF grants. They’ll need to contact and liaise with their building manager, the freeholder, or their local authority to pursue IMAF funding.
What documentation is required for IMAF applications?
Applicants will need to provide evidence of their most recent fire risk assessment, specifically detailing that a fire alarm system is required. Other supporting documents may include an enforcement order, as well as correspondence between leaseholders, building managers, and other key stakeholders.
How long does the IMAF application and installation process take?
While there is no fixed estimated timescale, you’re looking at around 10-12 weeks for the complete IMAF process, including application and installation.
What happens to waking watch arrangements after IMAF alarm installation?
An IMAF alarm installation is designed to eliminate the need for ongoing waking watch requirements, replacing manual procedures with fully automated monitoring, oversight, and compliance reporting. Note, too, that IMAF funds cannot be used to fund ongoing waking watch processes, so it’s in your best interests to phase these out where applicable.
Get in touch
The Interim Measures Alarm Fund is live and available for applicants in England, so now is the perfect time to seek upgrades for your premises. If you need help with the process, require an updated fire safety risk assessment, or would like to learn more about our fire safety products and services, contact our specialists today on 0808 239 7578.
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